What Could Have Been
by mentalsunflower
Summary: Ash remembers his last night with Misty, and what happened...what could have been if he had been more caring...(Ash x Misty) Just a small one-shot!


A/N: Hey-hey! Lookie here-a story on POKEMON! Oh yea. Well guess what? I think Ash and Misty make the perfect couple, so nyah. Suck it up-stupid Misty going to Cerulean. DIE FOR YOUR INSOLENCE, CHILD. -pokes her-

**Disclaimer**: Yea, yea, we all know it-I don't own zip.

You. You and your looks. Why do you have to be so pretty?! I mean, I felt much more comfortable when you'd rather chase me with a bike held over your head, getting that rather vampire-ish look to you, or yell at me for getting you and Brock, (or Tracy) lost all the time in some wooded forest. Or _even_ when you'd call me a child-an arrogant one at that. But I took it all-all your name-calling, teasings, and rampages against me-I took them all because I knew, deep down, you were right.

I was stupid-I probably still am. I WAS an arrogant little jerk who actually thought I could become a Pokemon Master-and I took you as an obstacle in my way, what, with your little bug-phobia and temper-tantrums.

But I wish I had matured faster than I actually had. I wish I could have gotten to know you friend to friend, not enemy to enemy. I wish we could have been closer, and not so isolated even if we were only inches apart. But I know now why you constantly got mad at me for every little things.

Because you could see the things I couldn't. You knew how you felt-I had no clue about my feelings. I mean, I was young! I still am--but then, I just took you in because I owed you a bike-I didn't want you to tag along. I would have preferred to go alone.

But as we travelled together, I realized something. You stuck with me through everything-you didn't leave like Brock, or Tracy, for better things, even though you could have. You stuck to me like glue, and even if I didn't admit it, for that-I was grateful. Eternally grateful. You were my best friend, even though neither of us wanted to admit something so atrocious. We preffered to stay on an enemy-known basis-until that one night...that one fateful night before you left...

Ash couldn't sleep. Tossing and turning in his little sleeping bag, the humidity of the island air finally got to him-he felt like suffocating. HE ripped the sleeping bag off of his body--for a 14-year-old, he was still pretty scrawny-pretty pasty. But whatcha gonna do?

He glanced over to see that Pikachu was still sound asleep, snoring away like a little baby. Checking on his pokeballs like he did everytime he woke up, Ash let out a loud yawn, not understanding how it could be humanly possible to feel tired and yet not be able to sleep. With a heavy sigh he ran a hand through his unruly black hair, wondering why he never combed it.

With a shrug, he pulled on some jeans, not bothering with a shirt. It was almost rainy season, and the humid weather could kill any human if they wore too much clothing.

Quietly he unzipped the front zipper of the tent, being careful not to wake Pikachu. He didn't have to worry about Brock, who was snoring, huddled in one corner of the tent. He could handle it without Ash there to babysit him.

Quietly he took one step out of the tent. Dewy grass tickled his foot, and he resisted the reflexic urge to kick. He pulled out his other leg, turned around, and zipped the tent back up. No need for anyone to wake up because of a draft.

He glanced up to see the crescent moon gleaming through the dark. Tiny stars dotted the sky, and for a moment, Ash wondered how many of those burning balls of gas there actually were-there had to be a specific number.

A bird chirping in a tree next to him snapped him out of his wonderland. He needed to cool off somehow. He suddenly remembered a small pond rested only a few minutes walk away from where they had set up camp. Ash yawned once more, scratching his shoulder lazily as he began an easy stride through the trees. Even if it was grotesque pond water filled with all sorts of bacterium-anything was better than struggling under a 30 pound quilt.

The calm chirps of birds eased his tense muscles-why was he so tense anyway? With a shrug the annoying thought left his brain-Ash was the kind of boy that could do that. Forget things as soon as they came to him. He had the uncanny talent (or not) to do such a thing.

With a happy sigh he saw the glinting of the moons reflection on a watery sruface not too far off in the distance. In about a minute, at a fast-paced run, he was standing in front of the pond. Suddenly, all that algae filled water with seaweed and who knows what lurking at the bottom looked _very_ refreshing.

He didn't even bother to pull off his pants. (Thank God.) In one swift dive he had pulled his body underneath the cool water. He could have sighed happily, if not at the risk to swallow litres of scummy pond water. He could feel the seaweed tickling his toes, but he no longer cared. Any kind of refreshment was better than that accursed thing Brock called a tent. More like an asylum.

He soon surfaced for oxygen. He let his body bob lazily for a while, just letting the moon gaze down upon his face, and his body start to float lazily to the top. He paddled along stumpily with only his hands to propel him. Just as he was beginning to fall into a blisfull reverie, something disturbed him.

A loud whoop and a splash caused his body to lift slightly in the air as the waves from the body whipped his body around. His eyes widened slightly, only from a first shock of fear. His hands quickly grabbed for the edge of pond so he could scramble out, but the bank was muddy. His hands only uselessly slipped throug the mud, flopping uselessly for a moment or two as he struggled to grip onto the mud.

"You stupid..." He muttered through gritted teeth. Finall the waves ceased, and a small body bobbed up from underneath the water.

"What the--Ash?!"

Ash gasped, his head whipping around. "Misty?!"

_Well no duh. It's not your MOM._ His mind thought sternly. He shook his head.

"ASH! DON'T LOOK!" He heard Misty shriek. Without knowing why, Ash squeezed his eyes shut.

"I'm NOT!" He retorted, struggling to change direction his body was facing as he floated in the water.

"You WERE!"

"Was not!"

"Were!"

"Not!"

"Were!"

"WHY do you CARE so much?!" Ash finally cried, his eyes still shut. He heard a small amount of splashing as Misty floundered out of the pond and out onto the grubby bank.

"Because-well because--" Ash could almost see her face turning a deep red color, and he couldn't hide a smirk from imagining.

"Why are you _smirking_?! Are you _looking_?!"

"GOD Misty, I'm NOT!" Ash cried back, anger rising up in his veins. "Just tell me WHY you're so hyped up about me being here!"

"Because I'm not--wearing much." She muttered.

"Not much? Do you mean--NOTHING?" Ash gasped in mock fakery. He could almost see her rolling her eyes.

"Of course I'm wearing something...just not something I'd like you to see."

After a few moments of silence, she sighed. "There. You can look now, though I hope you don't stare, I'd feel very awkward."

Ash sighed and opened his eyes, blinking rapidly a number of times as he turned around to face Misty. "Don't _worry_ I won't sta-"

Ash's statement was cut off in a rather rude way. Misty, now being 15, was tall and slender. Her hair was still the same length, but being let down and wet, it went just a bit past her shoulders. She wore on a clean white towel wrapped firmly around her body. Her turquoise eyes sparkled-sparkled?! No--looks more like _sparked_...

"You're STARING!"

"Well then don't waltz around in nothing but a towel!" Ash retorted, ripping his eyes away from her.

_Whoah. Weird or what?_ His mind asked.

Misty sighed and sat down on the grass near the pond. "It's pure torture trying to sleep in those tents. That's why I came to cool off." She stated sullenly, glancing at Ash carefully. "You?"

"Well, same for me. I came in for a quick dip." Ash muttered, keeping his eyes on a rather non-interesting blade of grass. He wanted to look anywhere but Misty, incase he started staring again, for some unknown, creepy reason...

"You better be wearing some clothes." She muttered.

"Yes!" Ash cried, growing red in the face from embarrassement. "Unlike SOME people, I don't walk around in the nude."

Misty's face turned bright red. "If you don't SHUT UP-I SWEAR I will punch your face in--"

Ash just chuckled and did a couple breast strokes in the pond before starting to talk again.

"Something on your mind?"

"What makes you say that?" She snapped.

"Well, you're doing all your nervous habits-pulling at your hair, biting your nails, and tapping your foot in that annoying way."

"Were you STARING when you made these observations?"

"Yes." Ash replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "NO I was not Misty, so you can stop trying to accuse me of being in love with you or something stupid like that." He snorted. Misty grew slightly pink at this, but said nothing else.

"Something _is_ on my mind." She finally blurted. Ash sighed, a smile on his face. "Good, I finally got it out of you." He swam over to the bank near her and rested his arms on the raised ground as he continued to let his body rest in the water. "Feel like sharing?"

Misty sighed once more and kept her eyes downcast, fiddling with her big toe. Ash felt like a total pervert as he continued to stare at her when she wasn't looking.

Did he _just_ realize she was pretty? Even-beautiful?

_It took me 4 stinkin' years...that's pathetic._ He thought sadly.

"IhavetogobacktoCeruleancausemysistersareleavingsoIhavetoleaveyouguyseventhoughIdon'twanttoI'msosososorry!" She cried this all out in one breath, and Ash couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow in confusion.

"Er-care to repeat that? Slowly?" Ash asked a second time. He could see Misty struggling to not roll her eyes.

"Ash--I-I have to go back to Cerulean...my sisters are leaving and I need to take their place as gym leader." Misty sighed and buried her face in her hands. "And I don't want to leave you guys, but they're making me-they're like my parents. I'm SO sorry, I don't want to go..."

Ash didn't even hear her apology. He was too lost in his own little world as she had stated the words "I have to go back to Cerulean."

"No..." He whispered meekly, a small pang in his heart. What was going ON with him?! What would he care if Misty left him? Hadn't he wanted to get rid of her over the past 4 years? Hadn't she mocked him and annoyed him SO much he hated her with every fibre in his body?

Well, he was wrong, he realized. Misty was leaving-there was nothing he could do...she was leaving him, and he would be alone. No one to tease anymore, or someone to pull his hair or anything of the like. She was leaving him. And for what? A stupid GYM?!

"How can you leave?" He finally asked, struggling to keep his voice steady. Wow, since when did he get THIS emotional over Misty?

"How can you leave me--and Brock" he added hesitantly "after everything we've been through?! You've been thorugh everything I have, and-well-we-_I_ had fun! These have been the best years of my life, and what're you doing?! LEAVING FOR A STUPID GYM?!"

Misty looked up sadly, and Ash was slightly, no, VERY shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"Ash, don't be so idiotic! I don't WANT to leave, but I have a responsibility! Unlike you, I'm a gym leader-when called, I HAVE to go back...trust me, these years have as well been some of the best of my life...but you have to understand that I can't stay...I have to go..."

Ash heard a small sob escape her throat, and she buried her head back in her knees, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. With a sigh he hoisted his body out of the pond and went to go sit beside Misty. His legs were splayed out in a "Y", and he wiggled his toes. His hair was sopping wet, and it clung to the back of his neck, making it itch. But there were worse matters.

"So you HAVE to go?" He asked glumly, still confused over why he was so sad about it. Mist nodded silently.

"I wish I could stay..."

Another silence. "We could run off." Ash stated bluntly. Misty lifted her head sharply, but then chuckled.

"Sorry Ash, but I doubt you could stand more of me."

"That's a lie." Ash said, so quickly he even surprised himself. He seemed to have Misty also, for she was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Huh?" She asked.

"Misty--" Ash sighed, running a hand through his sopping wet hair. "I seriously don't know why I'm making such a big deal out of this. I mean, all these years I was hoping you'd quit riding my tailcoat-"

"I am NOT!" Misty hissed.

"BUT--now I wish you'd stay." Ash was never the best at getting around what he wanted to say. He either said it or didn't--and for some reason he didn't even think about what he was saying right now. He just wanted this whole scene over with, and to wake up knowing Misty was staying with him forever and ever and ever...

_WHAT?!_ His head screamed, but he ignored it as Misty started speaking again.

"Thanks Ash-it's good to know how you feel."

"What?!" Ash asked, and then realized his face was growing red. "Uh-no-Misty-ya see--"

She cut him off by turning around to face him. He fell silent as he looked into her large, turquoise eyes. They looked so sad...so lonely...he wanted to help her...

And without thinking twice, Ash swooped down and gently rested his lips onto hers. He could tell she was surprised, because she almost pulled away. But to his great relief, she didn't. Instead, he felt her arms wrap themselves around his neck. Without even knowing it, he realized his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

The two were lost in the kiss, when finally Ash pulled away for air. They were still holding onto each other, and Ash felt his face grow red and quickly let go of her as if she had just sent him an electric shock.

"Look-Misty-I'm sorry-I didn't mean--" He was still confused himself. She had just looked so sad...and he did the first thing that had come to mind that would normally cheer a person up. He was just so shocked he had done something like that himself.

Through all his useless apologies, a finger of Misty's pushed against his lips.

"It doesn't matter." Misty whispered, eyes shining with tears. Ash prayed they were happy tears.

"You just made everything a whole lot better."

And that's when it finally clicked. She had liked me-liked me for the longest time. And I like her too. You could even say--love. But I'm too young for that, so let's not go there. I realized that we-no-I had been blind all these years. She had just wanted a kiss or two, to be hugged and loved...and I had been so stupid as to totally miss it all, even through all the not-so-subtle hints she dropped.

For the rest of the evening, I got over my actions--only because I had discovered my true feelings. I held her close as we recounted all we had done over the years, and all SHE had done to try and get my attention. We shared laughs, tears, and smiles...everything a real couple should. Even arguements--which sometimes got a little too heated for me.

And the worst thing was...she was leaving. But I couldn't let her go without one last thing...something I had promised myself ever since the moment I met her.

Misty sat on the bench, waiting for the bus to arrive. She held the ticket in her hands, twirling it incessently. But she was scared-nervous, and lonely. Depressed even, knowing she was leaving the boy she loved who just happened to realize his feelings on her last night with them.

Something squeaked from behind her. A shiver ran up her spine, and she whirled around to see what was there. But whoever had been standing there...was gone.

But they hand't left without leaving her a good-bye present.

There, standing proudly on the grass, was a brand new, sparkling, crimson red bike.

And on its handles, a little note was attached. With shaking hands, Misty held it up. On it was scribbled,

_I'm gonna miss you Misty. Hope you like the bike-took me long enough._

_Love, Ash._

A/N: Yay! I know they're very out of personality, but that's what I do. I try, and I fail. . Hope you all like! MISTY AND ASH ARE MEANT TO BE DO NOT FIGHT FATE.

R&R please!


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